The Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) is the Coordinator of the Atlanta VA HCS Suicide Prevention Program. He/she is delegated the responsibility and authority for ensuring local planning and coordination of mental health care and support to Veterans who are at high risk for suicide. The SPC assists his/her medical center's administration and staff with improving identification of Veterans at risk for suicide as well as promotes early access to mental health care.

Duties

Duties to include but not limited to: The SPC is the subject matter expert and point of contact for all suicide related matters. He/she also oversees the day-to-day processing of crisis line referrals from the National Veterans Crisis Line to the Atlanta VA within a 24-hour period. The National Veterans call center referrals are crisis calls by nature and involves critical thinking and knowledge of available resources for Veterans in acute or routine life situations, including psychiatric emergencies. The SPC reports and investigates all suicide related sentinel events to Central Office via the medical center's Executive Staff. The SPC provides ongoing formal and informal education to VA staff as well as community partners regarding any changes in VA policy concerning the Suicide Prevention program. He/she also works independently with the VAMC Medical Staff leadership to provide education and training regarding identification, documentation, and follow-up for Veterans at high risk for suicide. He/she is responsible for organizing and preparing monthly reports concerning the Suicide Prevention program for the Medical Center Director, VISN and Central Office. He /she is also responsible for providing community outreach and training for the greater Atlanta area including CBOC's and their surrounding counties. The SPC has a dual role as team leader for the Suicide Prevention program which encompasses the planning and administering of daily team meetings, operations, and stimulating team involvement towards problem solving. The team leader consults regularly with the staff to ensure timely follow up and care involving psychiatric emergencies. As team leader, the SPC may also carry a small caseload of patients for crisis intervention and high risk follow up. The SPC performs the administrative and personnel management function relative to staff supervised. He /she establishes guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. He /she observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance. He/she can resolve informal complaints and grievances. Develops work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. He/she provides advice and counsel to workers related to work and administrative matters. Effects disciplinary measures as appropriate to the authority delegated in this area. Reviews and approves disapproves leave requests. The SPC supervises an organizational unit. The SPC assures that subordinates are trained and fully comply with the provisions of the safety regulations as well as supervises employees to accomplish the work of the organization unit. Exercises supervisor authorities and responsibilities involving work assignment and review, as well as the administrative and personnel management functions relative to the staff supervised. The SPC performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the school of social work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. [Verification of the degree can be made by going to the CSWE website to verify if that social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a master of social work. Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Current state requirements may be found on the OHRM website May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-13-One year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidates may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience. Preferred Experience: Must have at least two years of Suicide Prevention Coordination experience directly References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G39 Physical Requirements: The applicant must be able to perform primarily light and sedentary duties with occasionally moderate physical demands, exercise patience, and control emotions, with reasonable accommodation if necessary, without endangering the health and safety of the applicant or others

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Atlanta VA Medical Center 1670 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 US
• Name: Christie Lowery
• Phone: 205-554-2000
• Email: [email protected]